Nothing says birthday like a cake loaded with sprinkles. Add in some ice cream and it's merriment galore. For my sister's birthday this year, I tried my hands at a vegan ice cream cake and judging by the feedback on Instagram, it seems a lot of you are interested in trying it out too! Last year, it was a fiery Ginger Nut Biscuit Cake; this year we're cooling things down with fluffy vanilla sprinkle sponges with a vanilla/honeycomb ice cream filling, whipped cream topping and all the sprinkles you could care for. So delightful.
Before we get into the recipe, a quick reminder that my cookbook Vegan Nigerian Kitchen is out now! If you love my recipes and want to support the work I do, definitely grab yourself a copy. You will LOVE the variety of delicious, vibrant recipes in there. Available in paperback and ebook. Thank you, thank you!
Now back to the cake...
Let's examine each element and get into some tips and recommendations.
1. Sponge Cakes: this is a hefty cake with two thick layers of sponge cake. If you're after something a little more dainty, or if you have less people to feed, you can halve the cake ingredient quantities to make two thinner sponges.
Unlike most traditional sponge cakes, remember that you never want to over mix a vegan cake batter. Doing so will cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, causing a dense and rubbery texture. What we want is a light and fluffy sponge, so go easy when mixing the cake batter. Fold gently until all the ingredients are just about well incorporated.
I used two 20cm sandwich cake tins for this recipe. I also made sure to line the bottom of the tins with some baking paper to prevent any sticking.
2. Sprinkles: the sponges are loaded with sprinkles and they're used as a topping too. Interestingly, not all sprinkles are vegan (some contain beeswax) so it's important to be aware. I'm able to find vegan-friendly sprinkles at shops such as Wholefoods and Planet Organic. You can also find them online, for example this, this or this.
3. Ice Cream: any thick, creamy vegan ice cream will do the trick. If you have the time and energy, you can certainly make your own from scratch (check out this recipe for the simple method). But store-bought is perfectly fine. I recommend Jude's for their funky flavours (like the honeycomb flavour I used). Or you can never go wrong with Swedish Glace vanilla ice cream.
One trick to making a neat ice cream cake is to leave the ice cream out for 30 minutes to soften, then line the same cake tin you used for the sponges with a layer of cling film. Scoop the ice cream into the tin, spread it out and smoothen the top, then pop back into the freezer to solidify. This way, you have a perfectly formed round slab of ice cream to place in between the cake slices. No mess, no dripping.
4. Vegan Whipped Cream: there are a couple of brands that now offer squirty vegan whipped cream. I used Food Heaven, so can confidently recommend. Alternatively, if you want to make your own coconut-based whipped cream from scratch, follow the process outlined in this banoffee pie recipe.
If you like this cake recipe, you'll also like:
- Vegan Blueberry and Strawberry Cake
- Vegan Orange Cake with Orange Buttercream
(Serves 16)
- 4 cups self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 2/3 cup sunflower oil
- 2 cups vegan milk (I used oat milk)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cake sprinkles (or as much as you care for)
- 1 tub (approx. 750ml) vegan ice cream (any flavour of your choice; softened at room temperature)
- vegan whipped cream
- sliced fresh fruit of your choice (I used strawberries and blueberries)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. To make the sponge cakes, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil, vegan milk and vanilla extract. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold the mixture until you have a smooth cake batter with very little to no lumps. Add as much cake sprinkles as you care for and gently fold the batter again until everything is well incorporated.
3. Divide the cake batter evenly between two 20cm cake tins that have been lightly oiled and have a layer of baking paper on the bottom. Place the cakes in the oven (top shelf) and bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer/toothpick stuck in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely before taking the cakes out of the tins. Keep the cakes refrigerated while you work on the ice cream layer.
4. Line a 20cm cake tin with a layer of cling film. It doesn't have to be super neat, but make sure the cling film goes all the way up around the sides. Scoop softened ice cream into the tin and use a spoon/spatula to spread it out and smoothen the top. Place in the freezer for at least two hours until the ice cream is solid.
5. To assemble to cake, place one layer of sponge cake upside down on a tray, large plate or cake stand, so that the smooth bottom layer is facing up. Unmould the solid ice cream from the tin/cling film and gently place it on top of the cake. Place the second layer of cake directly on top of the ice cream.
6. If you are serving immediately, decorate with as much vegan whipped cream on top as you care for, along with fresh sliced fruit and more sprinkles. If you are not serving immediately, cover the cake (with cling film or foil) and place in the freezer until you are ready to serve and decorate. The cake is best eaten in one go, but it does freeze really well and will just need 20-30 minutes to defrost before serving each time.
I hope you give this cake a try. Let me know if you do! And if you have any questions at all, feel free to send them my way in the comment section below or on Instagram.
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